Shooting Tips
Post your tips for shooting good video on this page in the appropriate section. Be sure to put your name in parenthesis at the end of your post so I give you credit for it... and be sure you don't erase someone else's contribution when you enter your tip! (We'll number our tips to keep them separate!)
Camera Work Tips 1.Use a tripod whenever possible. This really helps to keep the camera steady. (Niki Turco)
2.Check the white balance. And I also think Niki's post about the tripod is right on target. I have actually gotten to know my tripod much better. I didn't even know it could adjust and do some of the things it can do. (Kristen Honaker) 3. Zoom in and out in a fluid movement. Actually think (I guess storyboarding is important here) abut when you are going to zoom. (Sharon Purucker).
3a. Sharon is so right. My zooming is very jerky and it is distracting. It takes away from the video and the messages (Hope Via).
4. Get more footage than you need! When video taping at school, I don't want students to end or start too quickly because it make editing to difficult (this could be a talent issue too). Ease into the scene (maybe that is why we are asked to have 10 seconds of black before filming) and ease out of the scene. Keep everyone in place without abrupt starts and stops. (Sharon Purucker)
5. Use a camera that you are familiar with. Using a camera that you borrowed or never used before, makes it harder for someone who has never picked up one before. (Kim Moseley)
6. Panning should be a planned sequence, especially if you are following a moving object. It is good to practice the pan that you want before you record it. You want to keep the object you are following in the shot and not end up to high or too low on the subject. (James Trask)
7. When panning to a subject then zooming, make sure you practice so the composition of the shot of your subject is what you intended. (Margaret Bray)
8. Have the manual nearby if your are new to the camcorder so you can troubleshoot and produced the best possible work. (Holly Sakautzky)
9. If at all possible-use a tripod! It helps (me) tremendously with camera movement being fluid and not looking shaky. (Angela Pieniaszek)
10. Think ahead about how you will edit, what software you will use, and the format you will need. This will save you trouble on both ends, also like others have said make sure you have more video than you will need. (Posted this once, or something similar and it disappeared??!!??) (Richard White)
11. Have a step stool handy for Bird's Eye View shots, especially if you're short. (Kaia Alderson)
12. Shoot plenty of footage. Shoot more than you think you will need. Know how to operate basics of your camera before you begin to shoot. (Kim Ogletree)
13. Be sure to have a fully charged battery before going to the shoot. If at all possible have a back up one just in case! (Serena Robertson)
Audio Tips 1. If available, use an external micrphone when recording people talking. (Niki Turco)
1a. Check the external mics to make sure they are recording what you want and at what level. (Sabrina Thompson)
2. Be aware of your surroundings before recording--street noise, air conditioners, etc. (Kristen Honaker).
2a. Kristen is right on the money. For some reason my dog's panting is the loudest thing in my video. I know now to put him in his house and get all the extraneous noise I can out of my shooting area (Hope Via).
3. Know how sensitive built in microphones are so that you can have your talent speak at an appropriate level, or so that you can minimize the surrounding noises. (Richard White)
4. Keep in mind that the camera audio picks up on any sounds that are made. This includes all surrounding noises in the environment as well as the person shooting the film. (Kim Moseley)
5. It helps to adjust the camera so that it does not pick up breathing or movements by the camera operator. I could here myself breathing in some of my camera shoots. (James Trask)
6. Shooting inside can eliminate unwanted outside noise and could give you more control. (Holly Sakautzky)
7. When shooting at home, try to warn others you are doing so! Try to isolate yourself and the talent so that environmental noise (like doors opening and closing, or dogs walking on the floors), can be minimized. (Angela Pieniaszek)
8. Use an external microphone whenever you are taking shots at different distances. (Christian Cali)
9. Shoot in an area where you can control the noise level. Airplanes and traffic may hinder your overall shoot. (Kim Ogletree)
Lighting Tips 1. Don't always count on the sun to be out to help with any lighting. (Niki Turco)
2. Think about the mood you are trying to convey and examine different possibilities such as a person sitting in front of a window, or whether you are shooting into or away from the sun. (Kristen Honaker)
3. If the natural lighting is not providing the appropriate level, mood, or needs...then do not be afraid to experiment with flashlights, umbrella lights, clip on lights, halogen lights, or any other light source that might be available. (Richard White)
4. Bright indoor lighting appears more yellow in the video. You may want to change to daylight bulbs, or bring additional lighting to the room. (Sharon Purucker)
5. The weather does not always have you in mind when you want to shoot a film. You will need to have alternate lighting available. Snake lamps, flashlights, for additional light. Also, if it is to bright, have things that will dim the light. (Kim Moseley)
6. Always set the white balance after turning on the camera, shooting scenes with different lighting, and especially when going shooting outside to shooting inside. (James Trask)
7. If you are shooting in low light try not to zoom in, move closer to the object instead. (Holly Sakautzky)
8. You can find cheap heat lamps at Walmart, they provide a nice amount of light and are very cost effective. (Christian Cali)
9. When shooting away from home, don't assume your location will have proper lighting. Bring a few lamps in case of emergencies. (Kim Ogletree)
Talent Tips 1. Choose a talent that is old enough to do what you are wanting them to do. Smaller children can be hard sometimes and not always cooperate. (Niki Turco)
2. Choose people who will speak loudly and clearly. I agree with Niki's statement also, but my poor children are having to be my talent this summer! :) (Kristen Honaker)
3. Think about the mood, language, and tone you want to convey when selecting talent, their look, speaking ability, and voice can have a huge effect on your video. (Richard White)
4. Sometimes you have to use the talent available or willing, so work with them. Often, students want to be in a video, but are nervous, or embarrassed, or too cool, just be patient. (Sharon Purucker)
5. Having a very animated talent is always a plus. It makes the filming upbeat and full of energy. (Kim Moseley)
6. Make sure your directions are very specific to your talent or it could take several shots. (James Trask)
7. If your talent has some ideas of their own and you have some flexibility, incorporate some of their ideas into the storyboard. They certainly perform better when they helped design the shot. (Margaret Bray)
8. When working with others its a good idea to have a script because not all volunteers will want to come up with their own ideas, or their ideas could not be what you were looking for. (Holly Sakautzky)
9. If you tell your talent to "just talk about anything" be prepared for them to do so. It is better to give a specific topic or script to avoid retakes if the talent gets off track (Hope Via).
10. Make sure that your talent doesn't start laughing, you can't get them to stop and it takes away all emotion from the next few shots. (Christian Cali)
11. Try to do a couple of practice shots with your younger talent to let them feel comfortable with what you want them to do. (Kim Ogletree)
Other Tips1. If you have a handle on your tripod to help pan the camera-USE IT! This will help make the movement of the camera more smooth. (Niki Turco)
2. Take more shots than you think you will need. You may even want to record each shot twice and determine which is the best for you to use in your final product. (Kristen Honaker)
3. When editing sound in iMovie, try sharing your movie in iLife preview and creating a soundtrack in Garageband. If you are using a template file, go to the resources folder to find the sound file to edit (Zena MaNais)
4. Save, save, save...especially when using Movie Maker, it seems that version 2.6 is very tempermental and you do not want to lose all of your hard work. (Richard White) ~Amen (Sharon Purucker)
5. Be aware of having to convert files to an editing software. Finding software to convert files and actually converting and uploading can take longer than you think ;) (Sabrina Thompson)
6. Allow time for editing and making mistakes. That is the only way that you will learn. Have fun! (Kim Moseley)
7. If you're finding it hard to get started with Project 3, here is a script template you can download from the Microsoft office website. (Zena MaNais)
8. There is a free program that I found called Hampster that will convert movie files. (James Trask)
8a. I have also found that Freemake Video Converter works pretty well, too (Hope Via).
9. Beware of inexpensive tripods! I'm still trying to figure how to use mine and not make lots of noise when panning. (Margaret Bray)
10. Use a tripod when possible and when you zoom in or out do it gradually so it does not appear jittery or blurry. (Holly Sakautzky)
11. Make sure that you buy a camera with image stabilization. Without it you will have trouble even with a tripod. (Christian Cali)
12. The time you spend shooting is much more efficient with a completed storyboard on hand. (Kaia Alderson)
13. Be sure to check your completed movie before you convert it into a wmv file. Sometimes things get shifted out of place when you add transitions. (Kim Ogletree)
14. Always be sure to know EXACTLY where you've saved the file at! (Serena Robertson)
15. Be sure that you review your final cut many times BEFORE finalizing the video! (Serena Robertson)
Post your tips for shooting good video on this page in the appropriate section. Be sure to put your name in parenthesis at the end of your post so I give you credit for it... and be sure you don't erase someone else's contribution when you enter your tip! (We'll number our tips to keep them separate!)
Camera Work Tips
1.Use a tripod whenever possible. This really helps to keep the camera steady. (Niki Turco)
2.Check the white balance. And I also think Niki's post about the tripod is right on target. I have actually gotten to know my tripod much better. I didn't even know it could adjust and do some of the things it can do. (Kristen Honaker)
3. Zoom in and out in a fluid movement. Actually think (I guess storyboarding is important here) abut when you are going to zoom. (Sharon Purucker).
3a. Sharon is so right. My zooming is very jerky and it is distracting. It takes away from the video and the messages (Hope Via).
4. Get more footage than you need! When video taping at school, I don't want students to end or start too quickly because it make editing to difficult (this could be a talent issue too). Ease into the scene (maybe that is why we are asked to have 10 seconds of black before filming) and ease out of the scene. Keep everyone in place without abrupt starts and stops. (Sharon Purucker)
5. Use a camera that you are familiar with. Using a camera that you borrowed or never used before, makes it harder for someone who has never picked up one before. (Kim Moseley)
6. Panning should be a planned sequence, especially if you are following a moving object. It is good to practice the pan that you want before you record it. You want to keep the object you are following in the shot and not end up to high or too low on the subject. (James Trask)
7. When panning to a subject then zooming, make sure you practice so the composition of the shot of your subject is what you intended. (Margaret Bray)
8. Have the manual nearby if your are new to the camcorder so you can troubleshoot and produced the best possible work. (Holly Sakautzky)
9. If at all possible-use a tripod! It helps (me) tremendously with camera movement being fluid and not looking shaky. (Angela Pieniaszek)
10. Think ahead about how you will edit, what software you will use, and the format you will need. This will save you trouble on both ends, also like others have said make sure you have more video than you will need. (Posted this once, or something similar and it disappeared??!!??) (Richard White)
11. Have a step stool handy for Bird's Eye View shots, especially if you're short. (Kaia Alderson)
12. Shoot plenty of footage. Shoot more than you think you will need. Know how to operate basics of your camera before you begin to shoot. (Kim Ogletree)
13. Be sure to have a fully charged battery before going to the shoot. If at all possible have a back up one just in case! (Serena Robertson)
Audio Tips
1. If available, use an external micrphone when recording people talking. (Niki Turco)
1a. Check the external mics to make sure they are recording what you want and at what level. (Sabrina Thompson)
2. Be aware of your surroundings before recording--street noise, air conditioners, etc. (Kristen Honaker).
2a. Kristen is right on the money. For some reason my dog's panting is the loudest thing in my video. I know now to put him in his house and get all the extraneous noise I can out of my shooting area (Hope Via).
3. Know how sensitive built in microphones are so that you can have your talent speak at an appropriate level, or so that you can minimize the surrounding noises. (Richard White)
4. Keep in mind that the camera audio picks up on any sounds that are made. This includes all surrounding noises in the environment as well as the person shooting the film. (Kim Moseley)
5. It helps to adjust the camera so that it does not pick up breathing or movements by the camera operator. I could here myself breathing in some of my camera shoots. (James Trask)
6. Shooting inside can eliminate unwanted outside noise and could give you more control. (Holly Sakautzky)
7. When shooting at home, try to warn others you are doing so! Try to isolate yourself and the talent so that environmental noise (like doors opening and closing, or dogs walking on the floors), can be minimized. (Angela Pieniaszek)
8. Use an external microphone whenever you are taking shots at different distances. (Christian Cali)
9. Shoot in an area where you can control the noise level. Airplanes and traffic may hinder your overall shoot. (Kim Ogletree)
Lighting Tips
1. Don't always count on the sun to be out to help with any lighting. (Niki Turco)
2. Think about the mood you are trying to convey and examine different possibilities such as a person sitting in front of a window, or whether you are shooting into or away from the sun. (Kristen Honaker)
3. If the natural lighting is not providing the appropriate level, mood, or needs...then do not be afraid to experiment with flashlights, umbrella lights, clip on lights, halogen lights, or any other light source that might be available. (Richard White)
4. Bright indoor lighting appears more yellow in the video. You may want to change to daylight bulbs, or bring additional lighting to the room. (Sharon Purucker)
5. The weather does not always have you in mind when you want to shoot a film. You will need to have alternate lighting available. Snake lamps, flashlights, for additional light. Also, if it is to bright, have things that will dim the light. (Kim Moseley)
6. Always set the white balance after turning on the camera, shooting scenes with different lighting, and especially when going shooting outside to shooting inside. (James Trask)
7. If you are shooting in low light try not to zoom in, move closer to the object instead. (Holly Sakautzky)
8. You can find cheap heat lamps at Walmart, they provide a nice amount of light and are very cost effective. (Christian Cali)
9. When shooting away from home, don't assume your location will have proper lighting. Bring a few lamps in case of emergencies. (Kim Ogletree)
Talent Tips
1. Choose a talent that is old enough to do what you are wanting them to do. Smaller children can be hard sometimes and not always cooperate. (Niki Turco)
2. Choose people who will speak loudly and clearly. I agree with Niki's statement also, but my poor children are having to be my talent this summer! :) (Kristen Honaker)
3. Think about the mood, language, and tone you want to convey when selecting talent, their look, speaking ability, and voice can have a huge effect on your video. (Richard White)
4. Sometimes you have to use the talent available or willing, so work with them. Often, students want to be in a video, but are nervous, or embarrassed, or too cool, just be patient. (Sharon Purucker)
5. Having a very animated talent is always a plus. It makes the filming upbeat and full of energy. (Kim Moseley)
6. Make sure your directions are very specific to your talent or it could take several shots. (James Trask)
7. If your talent has some ideas of their own and you have some flexibility, incorporate some of their ideas into the storyboard. They certainly perform better when they helped design the shot. (Margaret Bray)
8. When working with others its a good idea to have a script because not all volunteers will want to come up with their own ideas, or their ideas could not be what you were looking for. (Holly Sakautzky)
9. If you tell your talent to "just talk about anything" be prepared for them to do so. It is better to give a specific topic or script to avoid retakes if the talent gets off track (Hope Via).
10. Make sure that your talent doesn't start laughing, you can't get them to stop and it takes away all emotion from the next few shots. (Christian Cali)
11. Try to do a couple of practice shots with your younger talent to let them feel comfortable with what you want them to do. (Kim Ogletree)
Other Tips1. If you have a handle on your tripod to help pan the camera-USE IT! This will help make the movement of the camera more smooth. (Niki Turco)
2. Take more shots than you think you will need. You may even want to record each shot twice and determine which is the best for you to use in your final product. (Kristen Honaker)
3. When editing sound in iMovie, try sharing your movie in iLife preview and creating a soundtrack in Garageband. If you are using a template file, go to the resources folder to find the sound file to edit (Zena MaNais)
4. Save, save, save...especially when using Movie Maker, it seems that version 2.6 is very tempermental and you do not want to lose all of your hard work. (Richard White) ~Amen (Sharon Purucker)
5. Be aware of having to convert files to an editing software. Finding software to convert files and actually converting and uploading can take longer than you think ;) (Sabrina Thompson)
6. Allow time for editing and making mistakes. That is the only way that you will learn. Have fun! (Kim Moseley)
7. If you're finding it hard to get started with Project 3, here is a script template you can download from the Microsoft office website. (Zena MaNais)
8. There is a free program that I found called Hampster that will convert movie files. (James Trask)
8a. I have also found that Freemake Video Converter works pretty well, too (Hope Via).
9. Beware of inexpensive tripods! I'm still trying to figure how to use mine and not make lots of noise when panning. (Margaret Bray)
10. Use a tripod when possible and when you zoom in or out do it gradually so it does not appear jittery or blurry. (Holly Sakautzky)
11. Make sure that you buy a camera with image stabilization. Without it you will have trouble even with a tripod. (Christian Cali)
12. The time you spend shooting is much more efficient with a completed storyboard on hand. (Kaia Alderson)
13. Be sure to check your completed movie before you convert it into a wmv file. Sometimes things get shifted out of place when you add transitions. (Kim Ogletree)
14. Always be sure to know EXACTLY where you've saved the file at! (Serena Robertson)
15. Be sure that you review your final cut many times BEFORE finalizing the video! (Serena Robertson)